Spokesman John Krey says the group is now preparing to give the ICAC more information, ABC reported.

"We have the evidence there that the government was in effect in bed with the mining companies on these matters," he said.

(Asking for more information) "demonstrates to us that they've taken
our claim very seriously, and we're very happy to provide that
information of course."

"We have various items of correspondence that were sent to the
government, pointing out the problems that we saw and of course the
responses back from the government to us, which didn't properly address
the matter."

Rio lodged its response to the 1081 public submissions on the project
one day after the public exhibition period closed on November 29.

The Department then recommended the expansion for approval on December 4.

The group says this shows evidence that due process was not being followed.

"The mine responded within one day, and the government had produced its
report within two days, so you'd have to say what in the hell is going
on with it," Krey said.

"How is this possible? To us, this appears to be a flagrant abuse of due process.

A Rio Tinto spokesman said the company had followed due process in its submissions to expand the mine.

"The minor modification, which will enable the mine to continue
operating as close as possible to existing production levels and protect
the jobs of 1300 workers for the next two years, has been prepared as a
matter of urgency," he said.

"After four years of consultation and assessment for the Warkworth
extension project, it is disingenuous to claim that this minor
modification affecting only a very small part of the previous proposal
needs to be further delayed."

Rio said production will fall and jobs could be at risk if the modification does not receive the green light.

“Coal & Allied stands by the accuracy of its application and the
workforce of more than 1,300 people at Mount Thorley Warkworth mine
await the Planning Assessment Commission's determination,” the miner
said in a statement.

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